Cybersecurity Hackathon: MIT Bengaluru announces champions of innovation and problem-solving

Kaspersky, in collaboration with the Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) Bengaluru, MAHE, has announced the winners of HackSky 2025, one of India’s most competitive and student-driven cybersecurity hackathons. After an intense 48-hour finale, Team Technopaths—comprising Advithiya Duddu, Aditya Jemshetty, and Rushil Bakori—emerged victorious, outperforming over 600 participating teams from academic institutions across the country.

The high-energy hackathon challenged students to design innovative solutions addressing real-world cybersecurity threats. Following multiple rounds of shortlisting, 60 teams qualified for the final stage, which converted the MIT Bengaluru campus into a hub of innovation and technical creativity. The contestants were given live problem statements crafted by Kaspersky experts, pushing them to develop secure, scalable solutions under intense time pressure.

Reflecting on their first major win, Advithiya Duddu from Team Technopaths said, “Winning our first hackathon was truly rewarding and a special moment for us. We learned so much, and we’re excited about building and deploying our product because it has so many real-world applications. The problem statements were thought-provoking and pushed us to think creatively. Our message to other students is simple: never lose hope. Even after several unsuccessful attempts, we gave it one more try, and it paid off.”

The valedictory ceremony brought together senior leaders from academia and industry, underlining the importance of collaboration in shaping India’s future cybersecurity talent. Dignitaries included Saurabh Sharma (Lead Security Researcher, GReAT, Kaspersky), Vaibhav Pathak (Solution Architect – Asia Pacific, Kaspersky), Prof (Dr) Madhu Veeraraghavan (Pro Vice Chancellor, MAHE Bengaluru), Prof (Dr) Raghavendra Prabhu P (Deputy Registrar & Director-Administration, MAHE Bengaluru), Prof (Dr.) Iven Jose (Director, MIT Bengaluru), Prof. (Dr.) Dayananda P (Dean, SoCE, MIT Bengaluru), and Trishia Octaviano (Senior Manager, Cybersecurity Education, Asia-Pacific, Kaspersky).

The winning team took home a prize package including ₹1,00,000 from MAHE, expert training courses worth up to USD 2,500 from Kaspersky, exclusive mentorship sessions with industry experts, and premium corporate merchandise.

Speaking about the of the event, Trishia Octaviano, Senior Manager for Cybersecurity Education in the Asia-Pacific region at Kaspersky, said, “From bold ideas to breakthrough solutions, HackSky 2025 showcased the brilliance and determination of India’s young cybersecurity talent. It’s inspiring to see such energy focused on securing our digital tomorrow, and Kaspersky is proud to be part of that journey.”

Echoing the sentiment, Dr. Iven Jose, Director of MIT Bengaluru, said, “HackSky 2025 reflects our commitment to nurturing future-ready talent. Collaborating with Kaspersky enabled us to give students hands-on experience in solving real-world cyber threats—a critical step in building a secure digital future.”

HackSky 2025 not only highlighted innovative problem-solving by young technologists but also emphasized the growing importance of academia-industry collaboration in tackling cyber challenges. With India facing rapidly evolving digital threats, competitions like HackSky play a vital role in preparing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.